


me, myself I got nothing to prove

by redkay



Category: Shameless (TV), Shameless (US)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-23
Updated: 2013-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-12 18:36:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/814713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redkay/pseuds/redkay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mandy’s always been a bit slow on the uptake, so between being pissed at Mickey, getting high with Ian, and missing Lip it’s not until she’s drifting off to sleep that it actually hits her.</p>
<p>3x12 AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	me, myself I got nothing to prove

Mandy’s always been a bit slow on the uptake, so between being pissed at Mickey, getting high with Ian, and missing Lip it’s not until she’s drifting off to sleep that it actually hits her.

Her eyes snap open when the realization finally dawns, and for a moment she thinks she must be higher than she thought because there’s no fucking way.

“Did he say he was _enlisting?”_ she demands, still tugging on a shirt when she finds Mickey staring blankly into space on the couch. “Fuckwad, I’m talking to you.”

Mickey jerks out of his trance and scowls at her. “Fuck off.”

“He’s not even seventeen yet, he can’t enlist,” she insists. She’s been saving up for his birthday present: one of those watches with a built in timer so she doesn’t have to hold a stopwatch and pay attention every Sunday morning while he runs around the track. Not that he’s been doing that much these days.

“Figured a way around that,” Mickey says, his voice hollow as he swings a bottle of jack between his index and middle fingers.

“And that’s it?” she asks. He doesn’t answer; just stares at a fixed point on the wall like she didn’t even say anything. For the first time in her life, he looks small to her. Her stupid, fearless asshole of a brother laid low by something as mundane as love.

_Boys_ , she thinks with disgust. _Can’t do anything for themselves._

**

“Get in the car, asshole.” Ian’s whole body jerks at her voice, jittery and on edge in that way he rarely is. He eyes her with suspicion for a moment, but shrugs and tosses his bag in the backseat before climbing into the passenger seat.

“Come to see me off?” he teases, one hand tapping a jittery beat on his thigh. 

“Something like that. Where are we headed?”

“Bus station.” He mutters some directions and Mandy nods.

“I’ve got a plan,” he says abruptly a few moments later. “A fake ID, Lip’s. Now that he’s eighteen and graduated I’ll be fine. And by the time they figure out I’m gone, it’ll be too late to do anything.” He’s got that voice he uses sometimes when he talks to Lip; all confidence and bravado but with a slight lilt, like he wants his big brother to reassure him. 

“Solid plan. Definitely no way they’ll work that out.” He nods jerkily. Ian’s never very good at detecting sarcasm in the morning. Actually he’s not much of a morning person at all; another reason this army thing is dumb as shit.

To prove her point, it’s almost five minutes later that his brow finally furrows and he leans forward to look out the frosted window. “Hang on,” he says slowly, and then turns to her accusingly. “We’re going the wrong way.”

“We’re really not,” she replies smugly, and presses down on the gas pedal in case he got any more bright ideas like jumping out of the car. He used to be the most level-headed person Mandy knew, but she can’t say much for his decision-making skills these days.

He looks so betrayed, his eyes wide and hurt, that she has to stifle a sigh. Ian always insists on seeing the best in people. It’s what drew her to him in the first place, but it’s also a serious fucking problem. And, she guesses, probably what landed him in this position in the first place. Because most people just aren’t that good when it comes down to it, and no matter how many times it happens Ian is always so surprised when they let him down. 

She thinks if he could just learn to expect it like the rest of them, it wouldn’t hurt half as much. 

“Let me out,” he says firmly, recovering himself. 

“I’ve been thinking this whole army thing doesn’t really work for me. See, I had all these plans for senior year with my best friend, and if he’s off getting shot at a thousand miles away, it’s gonna be a real pain in my ass.”

“You can’t stop me,” he insists stubbornly. 

“No, I can’t. But I’m gonna guess Lip can. That’s why you told me and not him, right? Because he would’ve talked you out of it, and once you get an idea in your head you never want to let it go.” Ian doesn’t meet her eye and she knows she’s right. Running away is one thing, saying goodbye is another. 

“I-“ He stutters, and all the fight fades right out of him. “I just can’t be there anymore,” he says, quiet and a little scared. “I’m going nuts.”

Mandy snorts. “I’ve noticed. Lucky for you, I’m pretty fucking sick of the Southside too right now.”

Ian stares at her uncomprehendingly and she flicks his ear playfully. “The army will still be there in January, dumbass. You up for a little adventure?”

He doesn’t answer, but he when he turns back to look out the window that small, secret smile she hasn’t seen in way too long dances on his lips.

_SENT 8:02 AM To: Lip  
Kidnapping your brother, dont worry. Be back b4 school starts. Probably._


End file.
